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September 28, 2005
You're allowed to say that?
Once upon a time, I wouldn't be caught dead listening to 'popular' music. Aerosmith, Guns and Roses, Whitesnake were all huge when I was in high school; being the rebel (*cough*) that I was, I hated anything that sold more than 100,000 copies. To be honest, I guess that is why my album collection was all of 30 strong, mostly Rush and Billy Joel (who was hugely popular yes, but not right then).
The 90's to me was the worst decade of music; even more bland and inane than the 70's. That could also be because I was so hopped up on girl-troubles and nicotine I hardly noticed the 10 years fly by. (But looking back, I didn't miss a heckuva lot)
Something happened to me in the last year or so though; I have developed an addiction to certain styles of music that are definitely not the usual me. Nowadays, if a singer is female, under 20, and worth a gajillion dollars (which is 3 more digits than a gazillion), I can't get enough. Avril, Clarkson, Maria Mena (*swoon*), Ciara, Digarmo, Pink. Add just a little touch of back beat like the Black-Eye Peas, Nina Sky, Beyonce (as well as 20 or more others I don't even know their names) and I am ready to make myself look foolish by attempting to dance.
I guess instead of looking for meaning in every little thing like I did in my coffee-house philosopher days, now I just like liking things. Music, TV, books - if they touch me, I like them; I leave the negative musical or literary analysis to others more qualified than I. Half the songs I love I don't even know the lyrics other than perhaps a line or two of the chorus.
(Read on at own risk, racy content ahead)
There is one other category of music in the pop section I have grown to grin at...they are usually performed by (most likely) oversexed guy bands who probably learned to sing just to get the girls. What I Go To School For, Geeks Get the Girls, and my newest favorite, Sugar, We're Going Down.
I generally decide to love these songs on rhythm alone, as I rarely understand what they are saying. I'm convinced that these bands construct their music with neuro-stealth technology and in such a way that parents (or old people like me) tune out whole songs completely, or just barely catch the happy snappy parts of the chorus. Once in a while, I will Google up some lyrics and I am often amazed at the content. I'm no prude, but sometimes I feel a little taboo like I'm sneaking a peek at the latest Vicky's Secret catalogue. Stuck in the middle of that last song and barely recognizable unless you know what he's saying:
Holy sexified lyrics Batman! Wishing to be the friction in your jeans?!? Not sure what that means exactly, but none of the possible connotations are particularly comforting when the target age group for the song is under 16.
It's not like this is anything new for those of us who remember Frankie Goes to Hollywood or The Knack, but it's still interesting what bands can get away with without the explicit song warning on their records. Remember My Sharona? I used to listen to that song hundreds of times, mostly at the skating rink, but then on every flashback program ever played. And I probably didn't get the 'Oh My God, he just said what??' moment until I had been listening to the song for 15 years. I have bought that album several times because it is such a hoot, and many of the songs are far worse.
My advice to those who think 'I can't believe those kids listen to that' should give them a listen some time. My current favorite? Anyone I work with should be able to guess, and this song is more like the Frederick's catalog than Vicky's.
Posted by TLorin at September 28, 2005 6:10 PM
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